Perhaps the smallest four-year college in the state, Stephens College is also one of the most well-known private women's university in the state. Enrollment in 2009 was 1,000. Founded in 1833, the college offers a wide range of academic programs, from artistic pursuits such as dance, fashion, and digital film-making to business marketing, biology and integrated media. Stephens also offers the option for students to bring a pet.
The other women-only college in the state is the rural college of Cottey College, a junior-level institution. It is a two-year school that offers an associate's degree in both arts and science.
Central Methodist University is another small four-year college in Missouri that had a 2009 enrollment of only 1,000. Located in rural Fayette, Missouri, the college is affiliated with the Methodist church, and was founded in 1854. The college also has numerous satellite campuses, including in Columbia and St. Louis, that are focused mainly on graduate and continuing education.
With only 1,050 students enrolled in 2009, William Jewell College ranks as one of the smallest colleges in the state of Missouri. Located in Liberty, Missouri, it is Baptist associated and was founded in 1849. A liberal arts college, it is especially known for its affiliation with England, as the college offers certain students the opportunity to study abroad in the country.
Another religiously-affiliated college is Hannibal-LaGrange University, a Christian college in Hannibal, Missouri. It had a 2009 enrollment of 1,150. According to the college's mission statement, it offers an educational experience in a "distinctively Christian environment."
There are a handful of private colleges with a small enrollment in Missouri. Culver--Stockton College, located in Canton, Missouri, had a 2009 enrollment of only 821, making it one of Missouri's smallest colleges. Primarily a liberal arts school, it was founded in 1853. The school offers several educational divisions, from mathematics and business to humanities and the fine arts. The college also offers Greek life (fraternities and sororities) and athletics.
Park University, located in Parkville, is a small private school with a 2009 enrollment of 1,250. It also offers the Park University Graduate School in the downtown area of Kansas City.
Another small private school is Westminster College in Fulton. It had a 2009 enrollment of only 1,064. The college has been recognized for its academics on a national scale, and was the site of a Ronald Regan speech in the 1980s.
While most of Missouri's public institutions carry a large student body, the public college of Harris--Stowe State University had a 2009 enrollment of only 1,854. Historically-black, this urban school is located in the downtown area of St. Louis, and offers only 12 degree programs. They range from urban education and hospitality and tourism management to information systems and computer technology.
Another public college that is on the smaller side is Lincoln University, located in Jefferson City, Missouri. Also historically black, the public institution had a 2009 enrollment of 3,109. The school participates in NCAA Division III-level athletics.